Mercy, a young Nigerian lured to Libya with the promise of greener pastures but later subjected to maltreatment, has been received by the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
Mercy, who dropped out of school at the age of 20 to raise money for her ailing mother, recounted how she ended up trapped in modern-day slavery. The indigene of Kabba, Kogi State, lamented that Nigerians in her situation were “treated like animals,” adding that she was fortunate to have escaped into a camp before being rescued.
The NIDCOM Chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, stressed that irregular migration amounts to “voluntary suicide” and cautioned young Nigerians to always pursue safe and legal means of travel.
She further assured that NIDCOM will support Mercy’s rehabilitation and continue working with partners and stakeholders to protect Nigerians abroad, while intensifying advocacy to curb human trafficking and irregular migration.
Dabiri-Erewa also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for introducing the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which will give opportunities for Nigerians like Mercy to complete their education instead of dropping out due to financial hardship.